Don A. Dillman, Ph.D.

Regents Professor, Department of Sociology, and Deputy Director for Research and Development, Social and Economic Sciences Research Center, Washington State University

Don A. Dillman, Ph.D., joined Gallup as a Senior Scientist in 1995. He is Regents Professor in the Department of Sociology at Washington State University. He serves as the Deputy Director for Research and Development in the Social and Economic Sciences Research Center at Washington State University.

Dr. Dillman's primary area of expertise is in survey methods. His current research emphasizes how visual layout and design of questionnaires influences answers to survey questions and its implications for conducting mixed-mode surveys. He has conducted extensive experiments on using address-based sampling methods to encourage response over the Internet instead of on paper or over the telephone.

As a Gallup Senior Scientist, Dr. Dillman has advised Gallup on developing improved methods for mail, Web and interactive voice response (IVR) surveys and their uses in mixed-mode situations. He has led seminars at Gallup offices and worked with Gallup's mail and Internet teams to improve data collection procedures. Dr. Dillman has performed visual testing of the Clifton StrengthsFinder website and has conducted experiments at Washington State University aimed at solving problems referred to him by Gallup associates.

Dr. Dillman has authored or edited 15 books; the most recent is Internet, Phone, Mail, and Mixed-Mode Surveys: The Tailored Design Method (fourth edition). He has authored more than 250 articles and other publications, the majority of which concern improving the quality of survey data.

In 2003, Dr. Dillman received the American Association for Public Opinion Research (AAPOR) award for Exceptionally Distinguished Achievement, the highest honor awarded in the United States in the field of public opinion research. In 2000, Dr. Dillman received the Roger Herriot Award for Innovation in Federal Statistics for his work on developing new implementation procedures for the 2000 Decennial Census.

Dr. Dillman was the Senior Survey Methodologist in the Office of the Director at the U.S. Census Bureau from 1991-1995. He has served as president of the Rural Sociological Society and as president of AAPOR. He is an elected fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the American Statistical Association. He serves on the National Academies' Committee on National Statistics (CNSTAT) and the Federal Economics Statistics Advisory Committee (FESAC). Dr. Dillman earned his doctorate in sociology from Iowa State University.